This trip
has multiple origins. First, I’ve wanted to ride in a Viewliner sleeping car. I
also wanted to go back to Chicago since my Arizona Make-up Trip. I determined that
it was cheapest to overnight from Chicago to Buffalo on the Lakeshore Limited,
so I decided to “kill two birds with one stone”.

I wanted to
spend at least two nights in Chicago so on one day; I could ride Metra to
Kenosha, Wisconsin because they have a line with five former Toronto PCC
streetcars which were among the 19 that were mothballed in 1995. I went there
twice in 2000 when there were only four of the five cars. I went back in 2003
on the way home from SAIT and saw the fifth car, but I wanted to go just so I
could say that I didn’t need SAIT to Kenosha again. I also wanted to see my
friends Greg and Karl again.

I waited
until mid September to go on this trip. I needed four consecutive days off work
at least, though five would be better. However, I managed to get five
unrequested days off work as to work around my work schedule.

Because the
price of a sleeping car was pretty expensive, my plan involved me riding VIA
train 95 to Niagara Falls where my aunt would drive me to Buffalo Depew station
to save time and money. I would then ride to Chicago in coach on train 49 and
spend two nights in Chicago. Then I would ride in a sleeping car on 48 back to
Buffalo and ride home on the Maple Leaf. The trip unfolded as follows.

September 15, 2008:

I got down
to Union station just before 4:30 pm; about 75 minutes before my train was to
leave. I wandered around a bit before I lined up.

Boarding
soon commenced. I was seated in LRC coach 3371. Before I got on, I took two
photos of my train.

I also
photographed VIA train 48 awaiting its 5:30 departure to Ottawa.

I sat down
and filmed VIA train 48 leave. I also saw VIA train 68 awaiting its 6:35 pm
departure to Montreal.

VIA train
95 left on time. As we passed VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Centre, I filmed what I
saw in the yard. On the other side of the train, I saw some F59PH’s GO Transit
has recently begun storing.

The
attendants began serving dinner. I bought dinner from them when they came by. The
train stopped at Oakville and Aldershot. We soon departed and were passed by a
GO train. The next two stations we stopped at were Grimsby and St. Catherines.
We crossed the drawbridge over the Welland Canal.

The sun
went down. Outside of Niagara Falls, we stopped because VIA train 98, the
Toronto bound Maple Leaf which was still at the station. It finally left at
7:52 pm and passed us 10 minutes later. I filmed it as it passed. I don’t know
what happened to it if the delay was caused by CSX and/or the customs
inspection.

After train
98 passed, we made our way to the station and stopped. We arrived 26 minutes
late. I got off and walked to the end of the platform and photographed the
train.

My aunt met
me on the platform. I observed the crew was preparing to turn the train where
it would become train 90 back to Toronto the following day.

My aunt and
I drove to a McDonald’s where I bought an apple pie and a drink before we went
to her house.

We headed
out just before 9:00 pm. We made a stop along the way before heading off to the
Peace Bridge.The line up wasn’t too
bad. The agent who interviewed us was okay; not anal. We soon left and arrived
made a stop at a gas station before we got to Buffalo Depew station shortly
after 10:00 pm. I thanked my aunt and headed onto the platform where I
photographed a westbound freight.

I went back
inside the station. I called Julie and found out train 49 was running on time!
However when I phoned back later; I found out that it was now a few minutes
late.

September 16, 2008:

I looked
outside the station and saw an eastbound freight pass. I found out train 49 was
15 minutes late from Julie. Prior to the train’s arrival, the conductor and
assistant conductor who would be boarding at Buffalo took our tickets and gave
us seat checks for when the train would arrive.

Train 49
arrived 17 minutes late. As it arrived, I photographed it.

I walked back towards the coaches. I noticed there was one
more coach on the train than normal. I was seated in Amfleet 2 coach #25075, a
refurbished coach. Many Amfleet 2 coaches are refurbished now. I found two
empty seats on the left hand side of the train and placed my seat check above
my seat.

The train soon
left. I pulled out the blanket I had bought on the Three Rivers and lay down
across the two seats and tried to sleep.

I was
roused from my half sleep by the conductor as we approached Erie as there were
more people getting on. However, no one sat next to me. After we left, the
conductor remarked I was lucky. I then laid down across the two seats again.

I was
partially awake as we stopped in Cleveland. I could see taxis waiting and saw
one taxi operated by Yellow Cab; the cab that I used on my Cleveland Make-up
trip to get me to the Amtrak station. That time, I made the train with time to
spare despite the fact they had screwed up by going to the wrong hotel to pick
me up and ended up picking me up 10-14 minutes late!

I also saw
two white taxis, but I didn’t see any from the company that made me miss the
Lakeshore Limited on my Washington-Cleveland trip at the station.

Train 49
soon left. I managed to sleep until we were outside of Toledo. I saw Amtrak’s
westbound Capitol Limited was in the station. We were being held outside until
the Capitol Limited left. We pulled up to the station and stopped. I stepped
off the train and took some photos.

I then got
back on the train. Shortly after we left, I went to the dining car for
breakfast. This would be the first time I had eaten in the dining car of the
Lakeshore Limited after its heritage diner was replaced with an Amfleet 2
“Diner-lite” car. I had the continental breakfast, though the cereal was given
to me in its package rather than a bowl. The meal tasted alright, but the
presentation was a bit disappointing.

This is breakfast in the face of progress for you.

After I
paid for my meal, I went back to my seat. The train stopped at Bryan, Ohio and
Waterloo, Indiana. The train stopped at Elkhart where I filmed the New York
Central Railway museum. Since I had ridden by there last, they had moved some
of the equipment around.

The train
continued and stopped at South Bend. After we left, I went to the café car for
a Pepsi. While in line, another passenger asked about the smoking stops. She
was told she had missed the last one (Toledo), and there wouldn’t be any more
until Chicago.

As we
continued on, we stopped for awhile. Eventually, we were underway and soon
approaching Chicago. Based on what happened on my Arizona and Arizona Make-up
trips, I assumed we would be fronting into Chicago. I would end up being right.

As we passed Amtrak’s 14th Street yard, I filmed
various locomotives and coaches. I was surprised to see Amtrak Great Dome
#10031, Amtrak’s last dome and the car I rode last fall on the Adirondack. I’m
not sure why it was there; maybe it was going to head out on the Lakeshore
Limited for use on the Adirondack again this year.

We soon arrived
into Chicago. The Capitol Limited had arrived a few minutes prior and we had
been running right behind it since Toledo. We were 75 minutes late. I got off
and took a photograph of the train as well as a Superliner Diner-lounge that
was tacked onto the rear of the Texas Eagle.

I also
noticed a private car tacked onto the rear of another train; either the
Southwest Chief or the California Zephyr. I photographed it.

I then
found a machine that sold day passes for the CTA. I bought a three day pass. I
then headed out to the Blue Line subway to head to my hotel. I had decided to
stay at the same hotel that I stayed at last time because searching for a cheap
hotel that was within reach of CTA was making my head spin so I decided to go
with what I knew.

I rode the
Blue line to Jefferson Park and then transferred to the 85A bus. The 85A
doesn’t run very frequent though. Since I had been to Chicago last, 85A was now
being handled by 30 foot buses. I photographed my bus when it pulled into the
CTA station.

I soon
checked into my hotel. The clerk seemed to have remembered me from last time I
stayed there almost two years before. In addition, I was given a key to room
613. If my memory serves me correctly, that may have been the same room I stayed
in last time! If not, it was close by.

I dropped
some of my stuff off and then headed out on the next 85A to the subway. I ate
lunch at a McDonalds near the station. After lunch, I headed down to the
station and rode a 2200 series el car to Jackson. I then switched to the Red
Line and rode to Roosevelt. I then walked to Amtrak’s 14th Street
yard where I photographed the equipment there including the Cardinal and the
City of New Orleans. I also saw a Texas Eagle train set. I also saw the coaches
from the Lakeshore Limited I had arrived into Chicago on.

I then
crossed the street and photographed the Great Dome in the yard.

I stopped
in a nearby Target department store and bought something to drink as I was thirsty.
I then walked back to the El and rode an orange line train to the Library
station. I then waited for a Pink Line train.

Since it’s
been two years since the Pink Line opened, the novelty has worn off. The 2600
series El cars that were wrapped Pink to promote the new line have long since
been returned to their usual grey livery. Also, the portion of the Pink Line
that used to only see service on the Blue Line during rush hour is now
completely handled by the Pink line.

I was also
disappointed to see that the 2200 series el cars were no longer assigned to the
Pink line, though I thought I shouldn’t be surprised.

I rode the
Pink Line to Cicero station. I had heard that in 1979, an El train had struck a
truck at the crossing just before the station and derailed and there were still
flange marks in the pavement today. I decided to see that for myself and sure
enough I saw the flange marks. I then rode back to Clinton Station on the
Green/Pink line. I decided to film my train pulling out. I was able to film the
train departing without a misinformed CTA employee telling me “No pictures!”

I then left
the station and called Greg. He said he was working late. He asked what I had
seen so far. When I told him I rode the Pink line to Cicero, he said that I should
ride to the end of the line as it has a unique station. After the call, I got
back on the El and rode the Pink line to the 54th/Cermak station.
This station is unique because there are two platforms one after the other.

An arriving
train crosses over and stops at the unloading platform. The train then either
pulls into the yard or reverses to a departing platform. After loading the
passengers, the train departs. When I got off my train, I took a photo.

I then left
the station and ate dinner at a nearby Wendy’s. I then got back on the El and
rode to Clark and Lake. I then transferred to the Blue line and headed back to
my hotel.

Once I got
to my hotel, I decided to call my friend Karl. I was careful to call him as a
result of a recent Metrolink crash in California. In this crash, a Metrolink
engineer had allegedly run a red signal and crashed head-on into a Union
Pacific freight when he was texting some railfan friends. 25 people were killed
in the wreck and I didn’t want a similar fate to happen to Karl!

A few days
before my trip, I had emailed Karl to give him my cell phone number so he could
call me when it was safe.However, Union
Pacific like many railroads runs with two men in the locomotive cab unlike
Metrolink which only operates with one. That would ensure that someone would be
watching.

When I
finally got through to Karl, he told me he was busy and so we arranged to meet
on the 18th. I then watched a bit of TV before asking for a wake-up
call at 8:30 before calling it a night.

September 17th, 2008:

I got my
wake up call at 8:30 am and got dressed and went to the lobby for breakfast. I
then went back to my room and gathered my stuff together. Today, I would be
going to Kenosha.

I headed
out and caught an 85A bus to Jefferson Park. I had to be at the Metra station
for 12:15 as my train left at 12:35 and I had plenty of time. When I got to
Jefferson Park, I didn’t get on the blue line, but took a route 81 bus to the
Kimball station on the Brown Line. I wanted to ride the Brown line in its
entirety. When I got there, I took a photo of a train awaiting boarding.

I got on
the front car and rode the train to Merchandise Mart. I looked around
Merchandise Mart for a few minutes before I caught another brown line train to
Adams/Wabash and switched to a Green line train. I then rode a 2400 series
train to Clinton station. When I got off, I took a photo.

I then
walked one block to the Ogilvie Transportation Center. I then bought a round
trip ticket to Kenosha.

We were
allowed to track level at 12:09 pm. I took some photos before we were allowed
to board.

Boarding
soon commenced and I took a seat in the cab car. The train departed on time.
The train took over 90 minutes to reach Kenosha and made several stops. While
on the train, I took some interior shots of the cab car.

The train
ended up arriving 5 minutes late. I took some photos once I got off.

I went
downstairs and saw a mosaic of a Metra locomotive. I photographed it.

I then went
out to catch a streetcar. Kenosha has five former Toronto PCC streetcars
painted in liveries of many transit systems. They all retained their Toronto
number. Car 4606 is painted in Chicago colours. 4609 is in Pittsburgh colours,
PCC 4610 retained its Toronto scheme, PCC 4615 is painted for Kenosha, and 4616
is painted in Cincinnati colours. Car 4609 was originally to be painted in
Louisville, Kentucky colours, but the people in Kenosha thought the scheme was
ugly.

When I
first visited Kenosha in 2000, only four of the five cars had been delivered
from the company in Iowa that refurbished the cars. Car 4609 was still in Iowa
and it wasn’t until 2003 when I was on my way home from SAIT that I saw it.
Since I am not too pleased with SAIT, I wanted to say I didn’t need them to
come back to Kenosha.

The PCC
cars in Kenosha run counterclockwise on a large oval that takes 15 minutes for
a car to make a trip. It costs only $0.25 to ride the car. One PCC is usually
operated at a time.

I headed
out to the streetcar stop and waited for the car to arrive. Soon, PCC 4606
showed up. I filmed it going around the corner before I got on.

This was my
first time riding 4606. The last three times I was in Kenosha, I rode on either
4610 or 4615. When I boarded, I took a seat near the back. I noticed that two
sets of double seats had been removed for a wheelchair tie down place. I was
aware that when the cars were refurbished in Iowa, they added a wheelchair
lift. I rode 4606 to the car barn and got off and photographed it.

I filmed 4606 departing and then
walked to the car barn to see if I could get inside. There was no one there,
but I was able to take shots of the cars in the car barn

Moments later,
I saw something big in the car barn. I thought it was an old bus I saw in the
garage back in 2003, but then I noticed a trolley catcher. I realized it was a
6th PCC! At first, I saw thought it was a Shaker Heights car, but
soon realized it was a SEPTA PCC. The car was #2120. The car used to reside at
the East Troy Electric Railway along with sister PCC 2185 and former Toronto
PCC 4617. I photographed it.

A few
months prior, I had been talking to Karl online and he mentioned there were six
PCCs in Kenosha. I thought he was wrong because I only knew of the five PCCs
from Toronto. He seemed to acknowledge; but here, he was right after all! I was
not sure why 2120 was in Kenosha.

The car
barn has a transit terminal where all of Kenosha’s bus routes converge. Soon, I
saw lots of buses show up. I photographed them.

I decided
to take another trolley ride, so I rode 4606 again.

I then
walked over to a nearby gas station and phoned home from a payphone. I then
bought $26 of Powerball tickets for my dad.

Later, I
wandered back to the transit terminal and rode 4606 again. I had a chat with
the operator who said they wanted to extend the line several blocks south and
several blocks west.

He also
doesn’t know what they plan to do with SEPTA PCC #2120. For now, the car had
some parts removed from it, but it may be restored to operate on the extension.

A little
while later, I decided to go for 1 and ½ more rides and got off at the Metra
station to prepare to go back to Chicago.
However, I had plenty of time, so I went into a café in the station, even
though I wasn’t very hungry. However, I did by some corn chips.

A little
while later, I headed out onto the platform to await my train. From the
platform, I saw 4606 again.

Meanwhile,
Greg called me on my cell phone. I told him I was at the Metra station and
arranged to meet him at the Ogilvie Transportation Center at 7:30; when my
train was due.

Soon, my
train pulled in. I filmed it pull in to the platform. After the train unloaded
its passengers, it departed and moved to the opposite track. When it pulled up,
I photographed it.

I got on
and we soon left on time. We continued down towards Chicago making good time.
However, when we stopped at Main Street station, we were held for 17 minutes.
Apparently there was a disruptive passenger who had to be removed from the
train, though they weren’t in my car. After we left, Greg called me wondering
where I was, though the call got broken off because of bad reception. We
finally arrived at the Ogilvie Transportation Center and I got off and took a
photo.

Greg was
there waiting for me. I told him why the train was late. He said he has seen a
few unruly passengers. We then left the station and walked over to the loop.
Greg pointed out a reminder of when streetcars ran in Chicago how they were run
underneath the river.

We walked
over to the El and rode a purple line train a few stops and went to a
restaurant for dinner. While at dinner, I showed Greg the photos I took on my
Washington-Cleveland, Cleveland Make-up, and Quebec City trips. I also repaid
him the $2.00 I borrowed from him on my last trip to Chicago after I had lost
my pass.

I told Greg about the winter
carnival in Quebec City and how I learned about it first through my fourth
grade teacher who had passed away about a month before I headed off to Quebec
City. I also told him that the teacher tried to discourage me talking about
trains in class as I was a railfan back then! She obviously failed. My dad
believes that if she was still alive and I told her I went to the Carnival de
Quebec, she’d be interested, but would roll her eyes if I told her I took the
train there!

For dinner,
I had a chicken club sandwich, which in hindsight was a mistake, because it
made me sick a few hours later.

After
dinner, Greg and I parted ways and I took a Blue Line train to Jefferson Park. Along
the way, I saw a bus painted and lettered for SEPTA, but I was unable to
photograph it. I believe it was being delivered to SEPTA. I bought some Advil
at a 7-11 because I had a headache. When I got back to my hotel, I was feeling
queasy, and I got sick from my dinner. After, I set an alarm for 8:30 am and
called it a night.